Learning across distances: an international collaborative learning project between Berlin and Turku. Issue 2 (3rd April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hautala, Johanna; Schmidt, Suntje
• Is Part Of: Journal of geography in higher education. Volume 43:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 181
• Page End: 200
• Publication Date: 2019-04-03
• Subjects: International course -- collaborative learning -- project-based learning -- proximity-distance dynamics; Geography -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Periodicals; 910.711
• DOI: 10.1080/03098265.2019.1599331
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0309-8265

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Many geographers graduating from universities enter an international and project-based professional life, which includes working in geographically dispersed project teams. In Europe, the Bologna process aligned study programs and supported student mobility to prepare students for such a work environment. However, research on higher education has reported few examples of international courses that include collaborative learning during which students have experience of both co-location and geographical dispersion. This paper reports on a pilot course that implemented international student-led research projects in two Geography Departments: the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the University of Turku. We monitored the students' learning processes via a survey that was administered at the beginning, middle and end of the course, complemented by observations, informal discussions and student team reports. We analysed the survey and observations within a proximity-distance framework to identify the key challenges and good practices for supporting collaborative learning. We developed a model for organising an international course that applies both geographical distance and co-location.